Domingo Sarmiento 

Curator: Well, here we have a rather imposing monument to Domingo Sarmiento. It's cast in bronze, attributed to Auguste Rodin. The sculpture appears to be placed outside in a park-like setting. Editor: It *feels* imposing, almost stern. That dark bronze against the greenery gives it a powerful presence. I'm also intrigued by the bas-reliefs on the pedestal, they look like figures reaching upwards. Curator: That's astute. Sarmiento was an Argentinian intellectual, writer, and politician, dedicated to education. The figure stands tall and solemn. Notice how Rodin has him in full formal dress, lending him authority, one arm outstretched. But I am really curious about what type of foundry was selected for this sculpture. Editor: And what exactly might one be looking at? Sarmiento in dialogue with the material history of his being sculpted into a monument in the first place. You’ve piqued my interest – it’s hard not to think about the political choices inherent to creating a leader’s bronze image. There's the industrial processes too – mining the metal, casting. Curator: Indeed! I think we can see both the weight of expectation placed upon leaders, rendered tangible through bronze and sculpted relief. This really is the weight of societal advancement resting on Sarmiento’s shoulders, according to the social context of the time. He was seen as the embodiment of Argentina's hopes for progress. The production process serves this vision in making it physical for those who now encounter the work. Editor: And those struggling figures seem caught in the very material supporting him…like they're wrestling their way up the foundation, maybe metaphors for labor. It makes me wonder how different the impact would be if this were done in something lighter, say, resin. Curator: Ah, the visual and metaphorical weight would certainly shift! Resin gives the feeling of a fleeting illusion, and Sarmiento wanted to be the real deal! The man even died a slow and painful death due to heart issues and had his body embalmed. He refused to let the moment be lightened by sentiment, and that carried through into the way he should be monumentalized through Rodin’s portrait. Editor: Seeing it through a material lens does open up new dialogues about value. The bronze isn’t just medium. It’s also commentary! It certainly resonates far more than just an official civic gesture. Curator: Absolutely! This bronze embodies history, aspiration, struggle. It also invites some to question what we elevate, materially and otherwise.